Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat Major, Op. 10

Piano Concerto No. 1 was composed between 1911 and 1912 and dedicated to Nikolai Tcherepnin, his conducting teacher. This period of composition falls within Prokofiev's 12-year tenure at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, during which he completed his studies in composition and was simultaneously studying in both the piano and conducting departments. In the conducting department, he became a pupil of the composer and conductor Tcherepnin. However, Prokofiev seems to have been more interested in instruction on orchestration in general rather than merely learning conducting techniques, and he reportedly learned a great deal from his teacher in this regard. It can be said that the fruits of this instruction, after various trials and errors in orchestral composition, culminated in this concerto. Although he had composed several orchestral works before this, for him, this Piano Concerto was evidently a work of such confidence that he himself recalled it as his "first mature work," both in terms of scale and accomplishment.

The premiere took place in Moscow on July 25, 1912 (Old Style), with the composer himself at the piano and Konstantin Saradzhev conducting. Newspaper reviews were sharply divided. While Sabaneev denounced it, stating, "The author of this piece, perhaps in search of 'novelty' and lacking his own essence, has become completely distorted," Derzhanovsky, who organized "Evenings of Modern Music" in Moscow, praised its "brilliance, sharpness, piquant pungency, and humor." Both men were known as friends of Scriabin and presumably had some understanding of modern music. It is indeed fascinating that a new work by a young composer resonated so diametrically opposite with two individuals from the same camp. His self-performance at the Anton Rubinstein Memorial Competition on April 22, 1914, is also well-known, similar to the premiere. He performed the concerto brilliantly there, winning the first prize, the Rubinstein Prize, and was awarded a grand piano.

Concepts and Realization

As quoted above, Prokofiev referred to this concerto as his "first mature work," and the basis for this lies in two "concepts and their realization" within the piece.

• The first concept is the combination of piano and orchestra in terms of instrumentation. The piano exhibits characteristics often seen in Prokofiev's works, such as complex combinations of multiple contrapuntal voices, wide leaps, sharp staccatos, and active use of extreme high and low registers. When combined with the orchestra, it sometimes functions as a solo instrument and at other times blends into the overall sound, creating a unique sonic image and producing a distinct effect.
• The second concept is its unique form. This concerto can be interpreted as an extended sonata form in a single movement with an introduction. However, by inserting an Andante section before the lighthearted development, each part functions as a second movement (slow movement) and a third movement (scherzo), allowing the work to be interpreted as a four-movement composition. Prokofiev himself seemed satisfied that he had created this structure and successfully related each episode closely.

Musical Analysis

The concerto opens with a powerful introduction. The melody played by piano, violin, and oboe, following the tonic chord of D-flat major, is accompanied by energetic dotted rhythms and, with chromatic semitones such as G♮/G♭ and C♮/C♭, is somewhat exotic and humorous. This introduction is repeated three times throughout the piece, and Prokofiev himself analyzed and stated that it is "like three central figures supporting the concerto." A transitional section follows. The key signature disappears, and the piano first appears as a solo, with the orchestra gradually joining in. Throughout this section, the piano is toccata-like, lightly soaring through the high registers. Returning to D-flat major, the main theme begins, characterized by a triplet rhythm reminiscent of a rapid dance and light repeated notes. The repeated notes transition into a bridge section, increasing in speed and register, and a grand fanfare is played with the brass.

The subsequent secondary theme is presented in E minor. Prokofiev himself identified two themes: a somber theme occupying the mid-to-low register, primarily presented by trombones, and a broad figuration in octave unison by the piano. After these two themes are repeated alternately, interspersed with a small cadenza-like section for the piano, the exposition proceeds towards the codetta, remaining in E major. However, at the point where the tension reaches its peak, it suddenly modulates to D-flat major, briefly restating the introduction. Here, unlike the opening, the orchestra takes the melody, and the piano is given an ornamental role. However, the eighth-note arpeggios played in unison across several octaves are too brilliant to be mere supporting elements, radiating a luster that stands out even within the full orchestra.

After the silence of a general pause, the music abruptly changes atmosphere, transitioning into an Andante that functions as an independent slow movement within the single-movement structure. A broad theme is presented by the orchestra in B major, followed by a piano solo that changes key as if in response. The piece progresses with this theme gradually building up, then returns to silence with another fermata.

The development section, marked Allegro scherzando, is very short, but Prokofiev himself explicitly stated that it "has a scherzo-like character." The transitional section and the main theme that appeared before the exposition are briefly developed, and the recapitulation then begins in a cadenza-like manner. Here, the opening theme appears in C major, meaning there is no return to the opening key. In this respect, it is an unusual recapitulation. The secondary theme is in C-sharp minor, finally moving towards a related key of D-flat major (the enharmonic equivalent of its parallel minor). After an exaltation similar to that in the codetta, the piece concludes with a brilliant finale, marked by the restatement of the introduction in D-flat major.